Locking device for automobiles



' July 27 1926.

A. AASEN LOCKING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed May 19, 1925 2 Sheets-Shet-l P I m I y 31.1 u X w" 1 LZL' l 1. J 7

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEYS my; 1926. 1,593,815 A. AA EN LOCKING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed May 19, was 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS WITNESSESQZ Z Q A gage,

Patented July 27, was. 14,523,815

iAaXEL ,AASEN, OL-F L'PORTLANID, OEEQQIN LOCKING DEVICE FOR AUTOIYIQBILES.

Application filed May 19, 1925. Serial No. 31,395..

My invention relates vto iinprovements in Figure 8 is a perspective viewofthecomdevlces =ior holding thecontrolhng levers or bined keeper andactuator for the locking'bar an automobile against movement from cerfor holding the two main sections of the tain oositions and it c nsists inthe combilockinegdevice locked to ether, 6O

7 i H n nat ons, constructions and arrangements llhe improved locking device comprises a herein described and clan led. pair of main plate sections 1 and 2 respec- Anobject of the lDX BlllllOll istheprovision tively. The section l is tormed with clove of a simple, reliahleandquickly attachable tailed grooves 3, 4 respectivelyextending in and detachable device havinganeans for obthe normally lower face of end portions of 65 structing movement of a plurality of conthe section ,1 from the inner fsidejedge of the trolling ,levers of an automobile of well section l towardthe opposite side edge oi 'thc known type vofconstruction. section 1 The middlelportion of the section A further object of the invention is the 1 is cut away as indicated at 5.-6'7 to reprovisionof locking device of the characceive the extending middle portion '8 o1 the 70 ter described which is adapted to hold the section 2 when dovetail tongues 9 and '10 controlling levers of the automobile in such which extend from theinner side edge of end positionthat the. automobile cannot be towed portion of the section 2 are received in the or moved under itsown power until the lockdove-tail grooves 3 and 4 respectively and ing devicehasbeendisengagedfrom the oondove-tailed tongues 11, and 12 which eX- 7 trolling levers. tend from the inner wall of the cut away'or A further ObJGQt of the invention is the re-entrant portion at5, 6, 7 of the section 1 provision ofalocking device which comprises are received in dove-tail grooves 13 and '14 a plurality of interengaging sections for respectively in the normally lower face of obstructing movementof thecontrolling levthe middle portion of thesection 2. A dove- 80 ers an improved and highly e'flicient tail locking bar 15 forholding the sections means for holdingsaid sections engaged with l and 2 lockedtogether in engagement with onei nother. each other as shown inf Figures 1 and 2 is Other objects and advantages of the inslidable in the transverse"dove-tail groove vention willbe apparent from the tollow- \vhich comprises portions v1 7, 18, '19 and 20 85 ing description, considered in conjunction extending transversely across one end por with the accompanying drawing, in whichtion of the section 1, the tongue 1j1,' the Figure 1 is a perspective view showing tongue 12 and the other end portionof the the improved lockingdevice applied to the section 1, respectively, in the normally'lower controlling levers of an automobile, face of the section 1 and other portions 21, 90 Figure 2 is a plan view of the two main 22 and 23 which extend across the tongue 9 plate sections of the locking device as they the-middleportion8a d thetonguelOof the appear whenlocked togetherandasdisposed sections 1 and 2. The portions '21, 22 and'23 with the normally lower faces thereof upof thetransverse dove-tail groove are in alignpermost, ment with oneanother. The portions 17 18., 95 40 Figure 3 is a view similar ,to Figure 2 19and 20 ofthe transverse dove-tail groove showing thetwo main sections separated from also are in aligmnent with one another. 'llhe 7 each other, the lock ng bar for hold ng the portions of the transverse dove-tail groove two main isectlons locked together being in the lower fZtCG Ojf the seet1on 2 also will omitted, be in alignment with the portions of the same 100 Figure & is a, section along the line 4 4 transverse dove-tailgroovein the lower face Qf' P s 2, of th sec io Whenthe Secti s ar fj-t igure' 5 a section along the line 5-5 gaged with eachother and the tongues 9, ,11, 9 F a 2, 12 a d 10 a re e ed i and eng g igure 6 is a section along the line 6 6 the dove-tail grooves 3, 13, 14, and 4t, v respec- 105 of iig. 2, tively. The dove-taillocking bar 15Qmay Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective then he slid longitudinally to'and trom poview through the device showing a third or sition in the transverse groove to hold the 'aux ia yp t s c onw chisvaclap e i q i 1 and 2 i ,engasem ntfw th e Star or men of th eme ency k other a d sa ns vem n from h p lever of the automobile'toward an operative tion shown inFigure 2 to the position shown position, in Figure 3.

Vertical slots or apertures 24, and 26 respectively are provided between adjacent edges of the sections 1 and 2 when the sections 1 and 2 are locked together,these vertical slots being shown as notches in the inner side edge of the section 2. The purpose of the vertical slots 24, 25 and 26 will be presently stated.

The section 2 is formed with a vertical opening 27 in the bottom of the intersecting portions of the dove-tail groove 13 and the transverse dove-tail groove. The section 1 is formed with a vertical opening 28 in the portion of the transverse dove-tail groove which extends across the tongue 11. The openings 27 and 28 will be in vertical alignment when the sections 1 and 2 are engaged with each other and the tongue 11 is received in the groove 13. A fastening post 29 has an enlarged head portion 30 adapted to be received in an enlarged upper end portion 31 of the opening 27 when the post 29 has been inserted in the aligned openings 27 and 28 as best seen in Figure 5. The post 29 then extends beyond the normally lower face of the section 1, the lower end of the post being formed as a hook as indicated at 32. A locking mechanism 33 of any suit-. able known type of construction is set in a socket 34 in the locking bar 15 and has a key hole 35 in which a suitable key may be inserted and manipulated to actuate an axially movable bolt 36 which is slidable in a bore 37 in the locking bar .15. The lock bolt 36 can be moved as a result of manipulation of the aforesaid key to and from position to engage with arecess or socket 38 in the locking post 29 and when in engagement with the socket 38 will hold the post 29 against displacement from position to extend through the aligned openings 27 and 28, as illustrated in Figure 5, whereby not only will the locking bar 15 be held against withdrawal from the transverse dove-tail groove but the sections 1 and 2 will be additionally held. against movement from position to engage with each other as shown in Fi ure 2. If desired, the locking post may be further held against withdrawal from position inthe aligned openings and 28 by means of an additional retaining member, not shown, which may be the shackle of a padlock projected through a transverse opening 39 in the extending lower end portion of the locking post.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. The locking device is intended for use with the controlling levers of an automobile of a well known type of construction. An automobile of that type has a floor comprising an inclined portion 40 and a horizontal portion 41 at the rear of the inclined portion. A clutch lever 42, a reverse lever 43 and a brake lever 44 protrude above the floor from slots in the inclined portion 40 of the floor of the automobile and are movable fore and aft to control the operation of the automobile. The plate sections .1 and 2 of the locking device are adapted to be engaged with each other and to be locked together by the hereinbefore described means so that the clutch lever 42 willv extend through the aperture 26, the reverse lever 43 will extend through the. aperture 25 and the brake lever 44 will extend through the aperture 24. Figure 1 illustrates the position of the levers 42, 43 and 44 and the apertures 26, 25' and 24 respectively in the sections 1 and 2 of the locking device and it is obvious that movement of these controlling levers from the position shown in Figure 1 will be obstructed when the plate sections 1 and 2 are locked together. An automobile of the type referred to also has an emergency brake lever 45 which extends through a slot in the horizontal portion 41 of the floor and has fore and aft swinging movement. A third plate section of the locking device is indicated at 46 and has an integral transversely extending dove-tail tongue portion 47 at one end thereof for engagement with a clovetail groove 48 in the normally upper face of the plate section 1. the lower face of the dove-tail tongue 47 being beveled as best seen in Figure 7 so that the plate section 46 will rest fiatwise on the horizontal portion 41 of the floor of the automobile when the tongue 47 is received in the dove-tail groove 48. A dove-tail locking extension 49 on the end of the tongue 10 will enter a dove-tail slot 50 in the tongue 47 when the plates 1 and 46 are arranged as shown in Figure 1 with the tongue 47 in the dove'tail groove 48 and the plates 1 and 2 are placed in engagement with each other so that the tongue 10 enters the dove-tail groove 4. It therefore will be obvious that the plate 46 will be locked to the plate 1 so long as the plates 1 and 2 are locked together by the locking means which has been described in the foregoing. The plate 46 has a slot 51 for engaging with the emergency brake lever 45 to hold the latter in its rearwardly swung position and against movement to inoperative position when the plates 46, 1 ahd 2 are arranged on the floor of the automobile in association with the controlling levers 45, 42, 23 and 44 as shown in Figure 'l. The brake lever 44 and the emergency brake lever 45 will be held in operative positions and against movement to inoperative positions while the clutch lever 42 and the reverse lever 43 will be held in neutral positions. Therefore, theft or unauthorized use of the automobile will be prevented so long as the locking device is in place onthe floor of the automobile and in association with the controlling levers as shown in Figure 1.

The posts 29 maybe used-to sheet-movement of the lockingibar 15 from position in the transverse dovetail groove after the post 29 has been Withdrawn from position in the aligned openings 28 and'29 and it is desired to separatethe sections *1 and Qofthelock ing device to release the controlling -levers. To this end,the hookportion 32 of'the locking post is placed in engagement NVltll the recess '52 in the lockingibar "15 Land a pull on the post 29 will cause withdrawal of the locking .bar from the transverse dove-tail groove. The sections 1 and 2 may be provided with finger holds as indicated at 53 and 54: respectively for convenience in manipulating the sections to separate them after they have been released from the locking post 29 and the locking bar 15. lVhen the device is arranged in association with the controlling levers as hereinbefore described, the key hole 35 Will be at the lower side of the device but the connected together sections of the device may be raised While in engagement with the respective controlling levers and without releasing the controlling levers for movement from the positions shown in Figure 1 to the height above the floor required to permit a key for operating the lock bolt 36 to be extended underneath the locking device and inserted in the key hole opening.

I claim l. A lock of the character described comprising a pair of plate sections having extending tongues and having grooves, the grooves of each section being adapted to re ceive the tongues of the other section when said sections are disposed in edgewise contiguous relation, said sections being coopera-tively formed to provide apertures at the meeting edges of said sections for the reception of controlling levers of an automobile, said grooves and said tongues being of dovetail shape in cross section, said sections being cooperatively formed to provide a transverse dove-tail groove including portions extending transversely in said tongues, a dovetail locking bar slidable to and from position in said transverse dove-tail groove to hold said tongues against withdrawal from said first named grooves, said sections being formed with aligned openings extending vertically through one of said sections, through a tongue of the other section and through said locking bar, and a locking post insertable in said aligned vertical openings to hold said locking bar against Withdrawal.

2. A lock of the character described comprising a pair of plate sections having extending tongues and having grooves, the grooves of each section being adapted to receive the tongues of the other section when said sections are disposed in cdgewise contiguous relation, said sections being cooperatively formed to provide apertures at the meeting edges of said sections torthereception of controlling levers o t aniautomobile, said grooves and saidtongueslbeing oi dovetail shape in cross section, said/sections being cooperatively formed to provide a transverse dove tail groove including portionscm tending transversely in said tongues, a dove tail locking bar slidable to and from position in said transverse dove-tail groove to hold said tongues against withdrawal .trorn said first named grooves, said sections being formedwith aligned openings extending vertically through one of said sections, through a tongue of the other s ction and through said locking bar, and a. locking post insertable in said aligned vertical openings to hold said locking bar against withdrawal, said locking post having a hooked end portion adapted for engagement with a cavity 1n said locking bar and operable to withdraw said locking bar from said transverse groove.

3. A lock of the character described comprising a pair of plate sections having extending tongues, said tongues being of clovetail shape in cross sectional contour, each section having dove-tail grooves for the reception of the tongues of the other section, said sections being cooperatively formed to provide apertures at the meeting edges thereof for the reception of the clutch lever, the reverse lever and the brake lever, respectively, of an automobile, one of said plate sections having a dove-tail groove adjacent to its outer edge, and a third plate section having a tongue engageable with said last named dove-tail groove and having a slotted outer end portion engageable with the emergency brake lever to prevent movement of the latter toward inoperative position.

at. A lock of the character described comprising a pair of plate sections having extending tongues, said tongues being of dovetail shape in cross sectional contour, each section having dove-tail grooves for the receptionof the tongues of the other section, said sections being cooperatively formed to provide apertures at the meeting edges thereof for the reception of the clutch lever, the reverse lever and the brake lever, respectively, of an automobile, one of said plate sections having a. dove-tail groove adjacent to its outer edge, the other of said sections having an extension at the end of one of the tongues thereof adapted to extend transversely across said last named dove-tail groove when said sections are in contiguous relation edgeWise, and a third plate section having atongue portion at one end engageable with said last named dove-tail. groove, the tongue portion of said third plate section having a transverse dove-tail groove for receiving the extension on the end of said tongue of one of the first named plate sections whereby said third plate section Will be locked to said first named sections When said first named sections are in edgewise contiguous relation, said third plate section having a slotted outer end portion engageable with the emergency brake lever to hold the latter against movement to inoperative position,

5. A lock of the character described comprising a pair of plate sections having extending tongues and having grooves. the grooves of each section being adapted to receive the tongues of the other section When said sections are disposed in edgewise contiguous relation, said sections being cooperatively formed to produce apertures at the meeting edges of said sections for the reception of controlling levers of an automobile,v

said sections also being cooperatively formed to produce a transverse groove including portions extending transversely in and across said tongues, a locking bar slidable to and from position in said transverse groove to hold said tongues against Withdrawal from said first named grooves and locking means for releasably holding said locking bar in place in said transverse groove.

AXEL AASEN. 

